Introduction: Damage done to Haiti by the Earthquake

 

In 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Leogane, Haiti, 16 miles aprox. from Port-au-Prince. The date was January 12th, by January 25th 52 aftershocks had been felt. The Haitian government reported that an estimated 316,000 people had died.300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. The government of Haiti also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.  

 

Helicopters flying over the destroyed Central Cathedral

a man collecting debris from destructed buildings to make makeshift homes

 in Leogane

A girl crying at the destruction of her city

Refugees try to restart their lives in a makeshift tent city

Haiti's People

 Due to the devastation caused by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010, Haitians are in desperate need for medical attention nationwide. As of 2012 the country’s population is 9,801,664, with an age structure consisting of 35.9% ranging from ages 0-14, 60.1% ranging from 15-64, and 3.9% for people 65 years and older. This age distribution is largely attributed to excessive mortality due to AIDS, which leads to lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality. Of this population, 52% lives in urban areas, and 48% lives in rural areas; however two thirds of the population earns its main source of income though agriculture. Many infectious diseases plague an unimaginable number of people. These diseases include food and waterborne illnesses such as bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever, vectorborne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria, and water contact diseases like leptospirosis. The commonness of these diseases combined with the current ill situation of the economy, suggests a desperate need for medical assistance and availability.